AI data center: Project Tango vote Wednesday in South Florida
Palm Beach County commissioners vote against controversial Project Tango data center proposal
5 news starts with breaking news. All in favor? Any opposed? We have uh Commissioner Morino dissenting, so that’s 5-1 to deny. Breaking news now at 11. The plan for Project Tango, the proposed hyperscale AI data center for central Palm Beach County, rejected tonight by county leaders. Palm Beach County commissioners voting 5 to 1 to deny less than 90 minutes ago to reject that project as it currently stands after ***. Marathon public meeting that lasted more than 12 hours. During the meeting today, we heard from dozens of Palm Beach County residents speaking about several concerns, including how close the data center would be to Saddle View Elementary School and the Arden community. We have team coverage for you tonight. Good evening and thanks for joining us here at 11. I’m Todd McDermott and I’m Felicia Rodriguez. WPBF 25 News has been covering this story live since 5 this morning. We have team coverage of tonight’s big development. After that dramatic vote. Reporter John Perrick spoke with people who live near the proposed site. First, we begin with our Ari Heitt, who was at tonight’s meeting. Ari. And the crowd at tonight’s meeting was almost entirely against this project. So when commissioners voted to deny the project, you could tell they wanted to explode, but they had been warned so many times throughout the day to stay quiet. So they were entirely quiet when the vote came down. Until they got outside the meeting room into the hallway, and that is when the cheering and the celebration began. Let me show you some video from inside this meeting as it was going on throughout the day. It lasted more than 12 hours from 9:30 this morning until after 9:30 tonight. During that time, commissioners heard *** presentation from the applicant, the company that wants to put *** more than 2 million square foot AI data center in the western part of the county right next to the Ardent community. And Saddle View Elementary School commissioners also heard from dozens and dozens of residents, many of them who live in Arden, who expressed concerns about noise, heat, water usage, and water quality, and about how the data center could impact their health. Commissioner Maria Sachs was the first one to offer her opinion on the record. She says she likes the project but cannot support the location right next to *** neighborhood and *** school. We’re not ready. We are not ready And we are not ready and we’re not going to use guinea pigs to see if what effects what occurs. Disappointed, obviously we worked hard, had *** long day, has 12 hours of testimony. I think we weighed it all out as best we could and we’ll evaluate this again tomorrow. Tonight we’re going to try to get *** good night’s sleep. And I asked that project manager what’s next. He told me, honestly, I don’t know, but he also said he’s not one to give up. The only commissioner who voted in favor of this project is Maria Moreno. She says she believes this is something that Palm Beach County needs. My 91 year old mom texted me and said, We need data centers in Palm Beach County. If we don’t have them, they’re going to go somewhere else. OK, so now you’ve heard from the commissioners, you’ve heard from the project manager, but what about the residents, the ones who worked so hard to stop this project? Well, my colleague John Perrick, he spoke to them tonight and has their reaction, John. Well, Ari, hundreds of people came to this marathon meeting tonight, and for those who stayed, for those who lasted that over 12 hours, they left with *** sense of rejoice, sense of relief. That’s how they described it to me as Project Tango for now is *** no. Heading into today’s meeting, for those against the project, their biggest concern was what’s gone unanswered. How much water and electricity would the center use? Would property taxes rise? Could the building affect children with an elementary school nearby? There were noise concerns too, and we heard the board press developers on these points for hours. Public comment was passionate and tense at times. For those against the proposal, tonight was *** win. There’s an air of excitement, but there’s also *** breath of fresh air. We have all been fighting this diligently for 8 months. It’s *** good feeling, even though I was here for 13 hours that they voted this way. It’s *** big win. It’s *** big victory. We feel relieved, at least I do. It’s been 8 months since this whole thing started. Have *** little more breathing room right now. You know, they can come back after the moratorium and try again, but for now it’s dead in the water. The fight’s not over, and from what you’ve seen, we’re really good at putting up *** fight, so I don’t think we’re going to stop. Honestly, I think that this wind just kind of ignited the fire more. Now again, the board’s motion here came without prejudice. This means that the applicant can come back and resubmit at *** later date, and we’re going to keep you updated on this breaking and developing story on our website WPBF.com. But for now though, we’re reporting live here in West Palm Beach. I’m John Perrick, WPBF 25 News. John, thank you. At least 4 total data centers have been proposed in our area. In addition to Project Tango, there have been sites discussed in Saint Lucie, Martin, and Okeechobee counties. Plans for what would be the largest AI data center in the state are on hold. The project, known as Sentinel Grove Technology Park, would sit off Orange Avenue and Minute Maid Road in Fort Pierce in February. Developers said they wanted more guidance from state lawmakers before moving forward. Plans to put *** data center processing center in Indiantown are dead. *** group known as Silver Fox 606 proposed *** facility along Silver Fox Road. The developer withdrew its application in April, and *** controversial plan known as Oki One is also dead after the governor’s office stepped in. So with this vote tonight, for now we know no new AI data centers will be built in Palm Beach County. Last week, County commissioners voted to place *** moratorium on building these data centers, but excluded Project Tango in anticipation of this vote tonight. The commission approved *** motion that immediately freezes all zoning and prevents new applicants until the ordinance is finalized. The commission wants more time. Decide on some parameters for future development of this kind. Last night, commissioners did approve *** memorandum to advertise the change of policy to prospective developers. *** reminder, if you missed any of our coverage today of Project Tango leading up to this vote, find out everything you need to know on our website WPBF.com, where you can get it all by downloading our free WPBF 25 news app.
Palm Beach County commissioners vote against controversial Project Tango data center proposal
We now know the fate of the controversial Project Tango artificial intelligence data center.The Palm Beach County Board of County Commissioners voted 5 to 1 Wednesday night to deny the proposal, following months of public opposition.Hundreds of residents from the Arden community attended the meeting wearing “Stop Project Tango” shirts. The commission meeting began at 9:30 a.m. and lasted more than 12 hours, finally adjourning at 9:50 p.m.The proposed data center drew criticism from neighbors who were concerned about its location near Saddle View Elementary School and the Arden community, as well as its potential impacts on groundwater, noise, energy use and the environment.The commission vote comes after the Palm Beach County Zoning Commission earlier this month denied a revised application that would have expanded the already approved 202-acre site. This is a developing story and will be updated as information becomes available.Stay up-to-date: The latest headlines and weather from WPBF 25Get the latest news updates with the WPBF 25 News app. You can download it here.
We now know the fate of the controversial Project Tango artificial intelligence data center.
The Palm Beach County Board of County Commissioners voted 5 to 1 Wednesday night to deny the proposal, following months of public opposition.
Hundreds of residents from the Arden community attended the meeting wearing “Stop Project Tango” shirts. The commission meeting began at 9:30 a.m. and lasted more than 12 hours, finally adjourning at 9:50 p.m.
The proposed data center drew criticism from neighbors who were concerned about its location near Saddle View Elementary School and the Arden community, as well as its potential impacts on groundwater, noise, energy use and the environment.
The commission vote comes after the Palm Beach County Zoning Commission earlier this month denied a revised application that would have expanded the already approved 202-acre site.
This is a developing story and will be updated as information becomes available.
Stay up-to-date: The latest headlines and weather from WPBF 25
Get the latest news updates with the WPBF 25 News app. You can download it here.
